"Ura! Ura!"
Countless Russian soldiers were driven by their officers onto the battlefield, clutching their rifles or charging barehanded toward the German positions, as if they were herding cattle.
Awaiting them was the formidable firepower of the Germans. An array of semi-automatic rifles, light machine guns, and general-purpose machine guns, along with grenade launchers and mortars, unleashed a torrent of fire akin to a storm of steel. Once this tempest of iron enveloped the Russian troops, it heralded a brutal massacre, leaving a grim expanse of corpses scattered across the battlefield.
The combat was extraordinarily fierce. However, this ferocity was solely directed at the Russians, as the battlefield presented an overwhelmingly one-sided scenario. The Russian offensive bore a striking resemblance to suicide. The Germans merely had to unleash their superior firepower to decimate the advancing Russian soldiers. The process of battle became remarkably straightforward, rendering even the German soldiers somewhat numb. They needed only to pull the triggers toward the dense ranks of Russian troops, confident that the myriad bullets unleashed would surely claim their lives.
"Tat-tat-tat!" An MG09 general-purpose machine gun roared with fervent fire, depleting a belt of 250 rounds within half a minute, its barrel glowing red-hot.
The well-trained assistant gunner, clad in asbestos gloves, swiftly replaced the overheated barrel, executing the maneuver with seamless precision in little more than ten seconds. The general-purpose machine gun resumed its deadly cadence.
A hundred meters ahead of this machine gun position lay a thick pile of Russian corpses, all testament to its lethal prowess. Its distinctive sound, reminiscent of sawing wood, had become synonymous with death on the battlefield. Many Russian soldiers, upon hearing this noise, would tremble in fear.
"Oh God! Do those Russians fear death at all? Don't they realize that their assaults are utterly futile against us? If this continues, they'll only suffer even greater casualties," remarked a German officer.
"Why bother worrying? If the Russians wish to meet their demise, so be it! If all Russians could act in this manner, it would be splendid. Victory in this war would come easily," another officer responded.
This was the essence of war—no compassion for the enemy existed, for it was a matter of survival. Any semblance of pity for the foe would be an act of cruelty toward oneself. There were already numerous examples of this harsh reality.
For the Germans, the battle appeared deceptively simple. However, for the Russians, the situation was far from glorious. The 2nd Russian Army persistently launched attacks but found themselves unable to even advance to the German defensive lines, let alone breach them or inflict casualties.
By day's end, the Russian losses would amount to tens of thousands. Even with ten infantry divisions and six cavalry divisions, totaling nearly two hundred thousand troops, their endurance was waning rapidly!
The commanders had repeatedly voiced their grievances to General Samsonov, warning that if this continued, their forces would be depleted entirely.
Yet, General Samsonov found himself powerless! The orders from General Ivan Zhiglinsky were imperative and must be executed. To defy them would result in severe military repercussions.
"What is taking that Leninkamp fellow so long? How much longer until he captures Königsberg? At this rate, my entire force will be decimated," General Samsonov cursed in frustration.
Alas, no matter how vociferously General Samsonov lamented, the advance of the 1st Russian Army remained as sluggish as a snail. It was not due to a lack of desire for speed but rather an inability to move swiftly! The German 17th Army, capitalizing on the terrain, had successfully impeded the Russians' actions. General Leninkamp had even attempted to deploy Cossack cavalry for an assault, only to be decisively repelled by the Germans, suffering significant losses. In light of this, General Leninkamp was hesitant to take further risks. Though he yearned to reach Königsberg, he prioritized the preservation of his strength.
Time passed inexorably, and the living forces of the 2nd Russian Army were continuously being depleted. Simultaneously, the morale of the troops was in steady decline.
Meanwhile, the main forces of the German 8th Army were thoroughly prepared to counterattack.
On the evening of the 20th, at the encampment of the 8th Armored Division, not far from Tannenburg, the area was ablaze with light. Soldiers worked diligently to repair tanks, ensuring that every vehicle was in peak condition for the offensive the following day.
Colonel Guderian and Lieutenant Colonel Rommel convened the officers of the 8th Armored Division to meticulously strategize and address potential issues that might arise during the combat.
The meeting extended late into the night, yet Colonel Guderian and Lieutenant Colonel Rommel felt no fatigue—only exhilaration.
"Rommel, tomorrow marks the inaugural battle for our 8th Armored Division, a chance for us to prove ourselves. I am confident we shall succeed," Colonel Guderian expressed, a sense of determination in his voice.
Rommel nodded in agreement. Together, he and Guderian were among the youngest divisional commanders in the 8th Army and the entire German Imperial Army, enduring immense pressure. Despite the support of Qin Tian, many envied their positions. Their sole recourse was to achieve victory, demonstrating that Qin Tian's faith in them was well-placed.
"Since His Highness the Crown Prince trusts us so implicitly, the only reward we can offer him is victory. Tomorrow, let us use the bodies of the Russians to affirm our prowess!" Lieutenant Colonel Rommel declared.
At dawn the next day, the German artillery commenced a fierce bombardment of the Russian positions. Unusually, their fire raged across the Russian frontline for twenty minutes before extending rearward, causing the Russian commanders to sense an unsettling shift.
The German artillery preparations bore all the hallmarks of a large-scale offensive!
However, before the frontline officers could relay this intelligence to General Samsonov, the German counteroffensive erupted.
Leading the charge was none other than the German 8th Armored Division. Guderian and Rommel mounted their command vehicle, personally directing the assault of the 8th Armored Division. Over a hundred tanks, driven by their operators, surged forth from their positions, forming a torrent of steel that surged toward the Russian defenses, seemingly intent on obliterating all that stood in their path.